ACLA Statement on CMS Policy: Cutting lab reimbursement won’t address the root causes of delayed turnaround times
Washington, D.C. – Following today’s announcement by Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on Medicare reimbursement rates for COVID-19 testing, ACLA President Julie Khani issued the following statement:
“We are currently reviewing how this policy change will impact laboratories and the patients we serve.
ACLA member laboratories have already implemented innovative solutions and reworked operations to support increased COVID-19 testing capacity and faster turnaround times.
We’re concerned this policy could create a domino effect where patient access to testing is severely reduced. Cutting laboratory reimbursement won’t address the root causes of delayed turnaround times. Turnaround time is driven largely by fluctuations in demand and access to critical supplies. As states across the country experience a surge in new cases, the global demand for testing supplies remains high.”
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The American Clinical Laboratory Association (ACLA) is the national trade association representing leading laboratories that deliver essential diagnostic health information to patients and providers. ACLA members are at the forefront of driving diagnostic innovation to meet the country’s evolving health care needs and provide vital clinical laboratory tests that identify and prevent infectious, acute and chronic disease. ACLA works to advance the next generation of health care delivery through policies that expand access to lifesaving testing services.
